


As There is but One World, One Life, One Death

by CrystalGraceandLilacs (MidnightWolf697)



Series: They shall find no rest in this world or beyond [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: AU sort of, Angst, Character Death, Established Relationship, F/M, Possession, you'll see why - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-19 02:44:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9414527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightWolf697/pseuds/CrystalGraceandLilacs
Summary: "If I was possessed by a demon...would you-""Please don't ask me this.""I...think I know the answer.""I don't think you do.  Its not that simple and I...I would rather not think of it."--One of their greatest fears becomes their reality, but not in the way they expected.  Slightly au-ish, I guess?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [this_is_the_end](https://archiveofourown.org/users/this_is_the_end/gifts).



> This is a result of a conversation with This_is_the_end. I was throwing out a similar idea with a different character for my main story with my inquisitor, and ended up writing this as a little unrelated side story. Please check out their stories as well. They are seriously amazing!

_"I need to be the one to do it."_

Blood dripped down the blade - _his blade_ \- and onto the stone floor, pooling beneath their feet. He'd dropped it in the scuffle and she'd grabbed it in one last ditch attempt to stop him. She couldn't - _wouldn't_ \- use magic against him. Now the blade pierced his abdomen, right under his armor. A fatal wound made with the intention of giving a fairly quick death.

"Cullen…I'm so sorry..." Kinsey cried, tears flowing freely down her cheeks now. She should've noticed the signs sooner, should've confronted him as soon as they came to light. Of all the things she feared could happen to Cullen, demon possession was the one she hadn't expected. And now he had to die; the demon's hold on him was far too strong.

Her grip tightened on the hilt of the sword. She'd fought him exactly the same way she had when they'd practiced in the courtyard. Practice where he'd taught her a skill which had become so crucial to her on the battlefield. She couldn't remember if she'd ever told him how important it had become to her. He'd be proud if he could see how she handled her spirit blade on the field. Now he saw her skills one final time, or at least she hoped he had.

Cullen stumbled back and fell to his knees as Kinsey withdrew the blade, hand pressing against the wound. He coughed and blood rolled down from the corner of his mouth. Kinsey dropped the sword and fell beside him, reaching out to pull him into a tight hug. The others waited cautiously, encircling the pair and ready to help fight if Kinsey had needed help. Now Dorian, Cole, and Cassandra grew closer while the rest hung back. 

For the first time in a while, Cullen was aware of what was happening around him. He'd gone for so long, lingering in a haze that he couldn’t recall what had led to this. The last thing he remembered was fighting in the attack on Adamant. That had been almost a month ago. He'd been caught in a swarm of demons then, and now…now he was bleeding out in the main hall of Skyhold, in his lover's arms. The realization that he'd been possessed sent him reeling. He went limp in Kinsey's arms and she moved to gently lay him down.

Cullen coughed as the taste of iron filled his mouth. He rolled onto his side so blood didn’t pool in the back of his throat. "K-Kinsey…" he sputtered, more blood dripping onto the stone floor. "Gone…it's gone…n-now…"

The color drained from Kinsey's face. Of course the damn demon would wait until its host was dying to release him. "Cullen, I…Maker…oh Maker no."

She pressed her hands hard over the wound in an attempt to staunch the blood flow. They glowed blue as she poured as much healing magic as she could muster into it. Blood coated her hands, showing no sign of slowing. Kinsey cursed under her breath and threw a pleading look over her shoulder. "Dorian, help me! My healing magic isn't strong enough. Dammit, someone get a healer!"

"I'll get the healer," Sera spoke up and took off running out of the hall to get help.

Dorian crouched beside Kinsey, adding pressure to Cullen's wound as he called upon his own magic. After a few moments he shook his head. "He's losing too much blood, there's not much else you and I can do. The blade severed far too much for us to heal."

"No, no no no –”

"Kinsey, darling…" Cullen reached up to tuck back locks of Kinsey's hair that had fallen in her face during their scuffle. He caressed her cheek, leaving behind streaks of blood. "It's alright, you did what you had to. You couldn’t have known the demon would release me." He coughed, grimacing at the pain taking over his body. 

He could feel the cold of the stone beneath him seeping in through his armor. It worked its way into his skin, stealing away the remaining heat. He wondered briefly if this was how Kinsey had felt when she’d been lost in the snowy mountains after Corypheus’ attack on Haven. Even after she’d been found he was terrified she would succumb to hypothermia. Now their places were switched, except he was _actually_ dying. 

“Hold on, please Cullen, just hold on a little longer.” Kinsey begged, bringing one hand up to intertwine their blood- stained fingers. “Please don’t leave me. I can’t do this without you.”

Despite their situation, Cullen smiled. It was the same look he’d give her when she stole him away for walks along the battlements, when he needed a break from working. His eyes held nothing but love and adoration, even on his worst days – even now. “Darling, you’ve done a wonderful job. We couldn’t have asked for a better inquisitor. You’re going to do great things; I _know_ you will.” His voice cracked as tears stung his eyes. “You are the best thing to ever come into my life. Know that I love you more than anything in the world.”

“Do not worry, Cullen,” Cassandra said as she kneeled beside Kinsey. “We will keep the inquisitor safe. I swear to you that no harm will come to her.”

Cullen managed a weak nod. His eyelids felt heavy and his vision had begun to grow black around the edges. He knew it wouldn’t be long now.

Kinsey leaned over him, pressing her forehead to his. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and he felt her warm tears drip onto his skin as his eyes slipped shut. “I love you so much, my darling.” She whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. “May Andraste and the Maker preserve you. And may you suffer no longer, my love.”

She felt Cullen’s hand go limp in hers as his last breath slipped between his lips. She squeezed her eyes shut as a sob left her. She felt as though her world had crumbled beneath her feet. It was as if she’d been dragged down into the dark depths of her own personal Hell, damned to spend the rest of her life without the man she loved.

Dorian laid a hand on her back, rubbing small, gentle circles as he spoke. “He’s safe now, Kinsey. He’s in a place where nothing can hurt him anymore.”

“He is right,” Cassandra nodded. “Cullen no longer knows the pain he suffered for so long. He is finally free of the vestiges of his lyrium chains.” 

Kinsey laid Cullen’s hand down as she sat back up and nodded, wiping away her tears with the clean sleeve of her shirt. She leaned against Dorian as he put a comforting arm around her. She bowed her head, mumbling a prayer through her sobs.

“I’ve got the healer! I –” Sera abruptly stopped in her tracks, causing the healer to almost run into her. She looked between the Inquisitor and Cassandra, who turned toward them and spoke.

“He is gone.”

For weeks afterward, the Inquisition would mourn the loss of their beloved Commander. A man who had fought so hard to overcome the demons of his past; who would’ve succeeded had he the chance. He had become an inspiration to those templars hoping to leave the corrupt order and finally be released from their lyrium leashes. Unlike his previously held beliefs, he had become someone who truly would never be forgotten.


End file.
